Lightning-arrester.



F. W. ADSlT.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED 050.4. 1916.

1,288,460. Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

ava/Z07 PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES FRANK W. ADSIT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. Q *LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

- To all whom it may concern:

for maintaining an are between the two points on the circuit that thearrester is designed to protect.

One object of my invention is to in a lightning rrester means for thegap in length.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide in a lightning arresterhaving a gap of considerable length means for maintaining an ar in saidgap under certain voltage and amperage con ltions.

' Another object of my invention is to provide in a lightning arrestermeans for mak ing a path of lowresistance across the arrester underbreak-down conditions, that will be self-cleansing as soon as thebreakdown conditions are ended.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lightningarrester thatmay be readily mounted and be accessible and easily re; placed in itsmounting.

provide YVith these and incidental objects in view.

the invention consists of certain novel features of construction andcombination 'of parts, the essential elements of which areset forth inappended claims and a preferred form of embodiment of which ishereinafter described with reference to the drawing which accompaniesand forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing, Figure 1, discloses a longitudinal section of myinvention with the wire loops 1 forming a contact member shown in full.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionof an alternate construction, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of thesame.

The arrester case is preferably made in the form of a glass bulb,although other material may be used, and is shaped insuch fashion thatmercury or other suitablematerial will settle to points as at 3 and a,with Specification of Letters Patent. Pate Application filed'December 4,1916. Serial Ii'o. 135,268.

having" the arrester of considerable nted Dec. 24, I918.

' i a predetermined gap 5 between the two mercury elements.

The loops 1 are in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis ofthe. bulb and are so arranged as to always make contact with the mercuryas at 13, no matter what position the bulb 2 may be turned about itslongitudinal axis. The ends of the wire loops 1 sealed through the glassas at 6 are brought out and soldered to metal caps 7 which are firmlysecured to the case 1 by cementing with gypsum plaster, or othersuitable material, the cap 7 being referably turned down as at 8 and thebulb bein proyided with an extension flange 9 to make the oint moresecure.

The construction as shown in Fig. 1 allows the ar'rester to be. readilyplaced in a fuse block, such as disclosed in Fig. 2, which I is ofordinary construction and consists of a pair of sprin clips 9 and'lO ateach end of'the fuse bloc s to receive the caps 7, thus allowing acircuit to be led through from the points 11 and 12to receive protectionfrom the arr-ester.

The bulb 2 with the mercury therein is preferably partially exhausted ofair so that a voltage abnormal to the circuit will readily break downthe gap 5, and if the current is of any considerable volume the mercurywill form an arc across the gap 5, thus placing .a short circuit acrossterminals 11 and 12, and in eneral practice one of the points 11 or 12Wlll be grounded.

Fig. 3 discloses another form of my improved arrester in whichthe capsla are adapted to be received by the spring clips 15, and the centralring 16 to be received by the spring 17 ,s0 that two sides of a metallicv ground through the mercury vapor will be of low resistance the linewithin will be thoroughly protected from the abnormal voltage, as allcurrent will be led through this low resistance to the ground.

While I have described my invention and illustrated it with the drawingherewith, I

do not wish myself-to be understood as confining myself to theparticular construction shown, as it is evident that my invent on may beembodied in various ways within the 500 e of the following laims.(llaims;

1. "In a lightning arrester the combination/ of a substantiallydumb-bell shaped bulb, a terminal cap at eitherend' of said bulb, aterminal loop substantially circular located at either end of theinterior of said bulb, and

one set of loops connecting with each ter minal cap, mercury within saidbulb of such amount in respect to the size of the bulb, that when saidbulb is positioned horizontally a portion" of mercury will settle ateither end, making contact with either loop, andhaving a substantial airgap between the two portions of said'merciiry.

2. In a lightning arrester the combination of a case having asubstantially roimd e11 larged ortion on each end, and a. thirdsubstantia 1 round portion intermediate of said en s, terminal loopsiii-each of said enlarged portions, saidl loops being ina plane,substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said case,exterior cirwith said terminal loops within .said case, liquid Withincular terminals connecting said case of such amount in respect to sizeof said case and said enlarged portions thereof, that when said case ispositioned FRANK w. ADsrr;

